Just as a heads up, this post will probably not make a great deal of sense if you don’t know the book at all; it also may contain minor plot spoilers. Still here? Let’s dive in! J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has left generations of readers divided. On one hand, it hasContinue reading…

Today a find that was, at least to me, completely unexpected. It was well hidden and I only happened to notice it because I was wondering, for some reason I don’t recall, what my book looked like underneath its dust jacket. Here’s the book in question: a fairly worn copy of Bertrand Russell’s A HistoryContinue reading…

Last time we saw how Constantine finally took power for himself as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, breaking away from the influence of his mother, Irene. However, his rule so far hasn’t been very impressive, and now Irene is back on the scene. This game is far from over. Irene’s Machinations Irene and Staurakios convincedContinue reading…

The early Middle Ages are generally regarded as a savage period of history, and not without reason. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, politics became more local and more turbulent. A larger number of would-be rulers competed for a larger number of crowns. What remained of the Roman Empire was only the eastern part,Continue reading…